Our Correspondent
KOHIMA, OCTOBER 31
The 70Km-long ‘Walk Against Corruption’ undertaken by around 70 strong supporters of the social movement-Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) Nagaland which commenced from Dimapur (Chumukedima) on October 30, culminated here in the state capital Saturday afternoon.
The anti-corruption walk which was scheduled to finish at the Raj Bhavan Kohima got rerouted to the state Secretariat Complex as the Governor of Nagaland was “out of station”. While Chief Minister TR Zeliang promptly agreed to meet the ACAUT group once they reached Kohima, the latter was kept waiting outside the Secretariat gates for over an hour as the CM left to inspect an ongoing bridge construction. When he finally arrived at the scene, ACAUT co-chairman Joel Nillo handed over a petition to the Chief Minister and highlighted the main objective of the walk- the immediate institution of a strong Lokayukta in the state to check the existing rampant corruption, and implementation of the recommendations made by the High Powered Committee (HPC) on unabated taxation collected by the Naga political groups (NPGs) and illegal collections by the state government and NGOs which was submitted to the Chief minister earlier this year in July.
Addressing the group, Zeliang said, “Earlier, we heard that you have decided to raise the slogan ‘One Government; One Tax’ but now you have added another slogan ‘Corruption-free Society’.” He acknowledged that ACAUT has taken up a good initiative by walking from Chumukedima to Kohima for a good cause with determination, however, he pointed out, the main thing is carrying out the mission successfully.
The Chief Minister remarked that, to make Nagaland a corruption-free state might be easy to say, but the government alone cannot uproot corruption in the society, and it needs people’s support- support of young leaders, civil societies and tribal bodies.
“We have to walk together, work together and exchange ideas…. Anything for the good of the people, we have to put our heads together. Only then we will see change,” he stated, while further assuring that the government is sincerely in the process of setting up a Lokayukta.
On ACAUT’s demand for implementation of the HPC recommendations, the Chief Minister said since the committee’s report is “too bulky”, it will take time to read the entire content. Nevertheless, he reassured it is being examined, headed by the Chief Secretary of the state, and in due course of time the needful will be done.
Earlier, upon their arrival at Kohima, a public meeting was held at the Kohima War Cemetery, wherein a huge number of people including members of the business community in Kohima, public leaders, students, youth and activists gathered in a display of solidarity to the “ACAUT walkers”.
“We see governments come to power on the wave of promises to eradicate corruption. Why then are we filled with such corruption? How can we fight the scourge of corruption?” asks Jabou Sekhose, president Kohima Chamber of Commerce & Industries (KCCI). He asserted the KCCI’s unreserved support towards the anti-corruption movement spearheaded by ACAUT. “It is a long and rocky road ahead but we are confident that better days do lie ahead,” he said with hope.
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The occasion also marked the second anniversary of the birth of the ACAUT movement. The ACAUT Nagaland has been exposing acts of rampant corruption in the state, mostly “backdoor” and “political” appointments to government jobs, however, the government has so far allegedly turned a deaf ear to them.
Meanwhile, ACAUT Nagaland, in a memo to the Governor and the Chief Minister, stated the purpose of the walk was to create awareness on the ills of corruption affecting the state, and to prompt the people and the government to deeply introspect over the menace affecting the progress of the state and society at large.
“For a state created much before other neighbouring peoples had even gained consciousness of identity, the relative backwardness of our infrastructure, the absence of an economy, the inescapable prevalence of individual and institutional corruption, and the absence of accountability and transparency, the twin pillars of any progressive society from our contemporary narrative etc. are all sad reflections of our moral abyss,” states the memo.
Nevertheless, it asserts the government of the day can and should initiate structural changes by way of adopting a strong Lokayukta to tackle corruption, and implementing the HPC recommendations on unabated taxation collected by the Naga political groups (NPGs) and illegal collections by the state government and NGOs as submitted to the Chief Minister.
“The state government should now walk the talk and implement the recommendations made by the HPC members, constituted at great cost to the state exchequer,” it said, adding, if sincerely implemented, it would result in a great increase for the state exchequer, ensure transparency in governance, usher in accountability in governance, address artificial price rise, and assure the common man and the business community that the government is committed to their welfare.
